American Coot. 319 



At the close of the breeding season many of the grebes 

 doubtless leave the swamp-lakes for local open ponds 

 scattered over the country, away from the bottom regions. 

 After early July individuals may frequentlj^ be seen glid- 

 ing over such ponds, generally solitary, sometimes in pairs. 

 When they are Dot harassed beyond endurance, they may 

 remain until the time of migration, if the pond supplies 

 them proper food. It is probable that many begin their 

 southward movement early, and travel by easy stages, 

 lingering here and there on local ponds and reservoirs 

 which please their fancy. From the imperfect adaptation 

 of their wings to flight, it seems that they would journey 

 on their migrations as much as possible by water. It is 

 natural that they should be unwilling to forsake the 

 friendly element. The very features of their structure, 

 which render them awkward and almost helpless on land, 

 give them additional advantage in the water. The slight 

 movements of their feet, situated toward the rear of the 

 body, tip the head and breast forward, and give them 

 the remarkable ease noticeable in their diving, so much so 

 that none of the water birds exhibits greater dexterity. 

 In illustrating the doctrine of compensation, Emerson 

 might have chosen no object more appropriate than the 

 structure of the grebes ; for v/hile nature has left them ap- 

 parently defective in some features, she has amply com- 

 pensated them by conferring upon them more enlarged 

 powers in other directions. 



AMEEICAN COOT. 



The commonest birds of the swamp-lakes are the Amer- 

 ican coots. Everywhere through the fringing growth of 

 flags their unsheltered nests are to be found, and out upon 

 the open water their dark forms dot the shimmering sur- 

 face. To the inhabitants of these regions, and to gunners 

 generally who are not familiar with their book names, the 

 coots and the gallinules are known as "mud-hens." The 

 coots are readily identified by the milk-white bill, and are 

 locally known as the "white-billed" or "ivory-billed" 

 mud-hens, to distinguish them from the Florida gallinules, 



